Page 72 - Auction84-Book1

LOT 118
Documented XX Regiment
Marked Colonial America Assembled
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. I BY MOLLER
Club Butt Fowling Piece - NSN, 80 cal., 49 1/4 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This gun is featured and discussed on pages 81-83 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume 1: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms” by George Moller where it is listed as an “Assembled Club Butt Fowler” and noted as having influence from the French buccaneer gun and built with a lock from a British musket from 1700-1715. He also notes that the 20th Regiment marking on the barrel dates the “barrel at 1753 or later, when British muskets were marked with regimental numbers.”“It might well be categorized as a colonial musket assembled from salvaged British musket components, except that the barrel is quite long and it has no provision for a bayonet.”The barrel has a rounded blade front sight and is marked “XX-REGT.” on top in the breech section and has faint Ordnance Department markings. The lock originally had a back catch and appears to have be marked “R/ALLIN” at center. The furniture is brass aside from the iron trigger guard. The stock has the distinctive club butt profile, and a small “GDM” collection stamp is near the toe. CONDITION: Fair with mix of dark brown patina and applied artificial brown finish on the iron, heavy oxidation and pitting concentrated around the enlarged vent and lock, new lock screws, chipped muzzle, aged patina on the brass, and moderate overall wear. Moller notes, “The barrel was extended at the muzzle...” The barrel is also obstructed starting three to four inches ahead of the breech. The repaired stock is fair and has a 9 1/2 inch splice in the forend tip section, multiple other repairs including a replaced section between the lock and upper tang, some insect holes, occasional cracks, and mild scrapes and dings. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 119
Documented Colonial Era Club Butt Flintlock Fowler/Militia Musket - NSN, 80 cal., 48 5/8 inch octagon bbl., unknown finish, maple stock. This rather coarse early long gun is shown and discussed on pages 59-60 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume 1: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms” by George Moller and described as “attributed to militia use in the British North American colonies. The lock and some of the other metal components appear to have been salvaged from earlier muskets and assembled into a plain maple stock.” He notes the barrel appears to have been originally from a matchlock musket, and that the “crown/T” mark on the barrel may be the London Blacksmiths Company mark. He notes the lock as similar to those used on British muskets c. 1690-1720. It has a bead style front sight at the flared muzzle. The furniture is minimal and includes simple brass ramrod ferrules and an iron trigger guard, and the butt is bare. CONDITION: Fair with dark brown patina on the barrel and trigger guard, moderate to heavy erosion on the breech section, large vent, gray patina and mild pitting on the lock which has replacement parts and a resurfaced frizzen, aged patina on the ramrod ferrules, damaged upper ferrule, and significant overall wear. The stock is also fair and has a cracked and pinned forend, chips and slivers absent, multiple cracks, and general scrapes and dings. Mechanically good. This historic weapon definitely looks like it saw some serious use during the colonial era, perhaps passed down and used by multiple generations. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 120 Documented Colonial America Attributed Flintlock Militia Musket - NSN, 75 cal., 49 1/2 inch part octagon bbl., bright finish, maple stock. This “firelock” was noted by George Moller as a colonial militia musket on page 61 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume 1: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms.”The barrel has a blade front sight, banded transition point, and groove in the breech for a rear sight. The large lock is secured by three screws, has an internal bridle, and does not have a pan bridle. Both the barrel and lock are attributed as from an early 18th century British musket pre-1707 (accidentally noted as prior to 1607 in the book). The barrel tang is secured by a screw passing through the stock from below, and the trigger is fitted in a slot in the stock, not a trigger plate. Moller notes that the early French musket trigger guard and the frizzen are believed to be period replacement parts. The guard is noted by Moller as marked “A&C” on the underside of the rear tang. The forend band and two ramrod ferrules are sheet brass. There is no entry pipe, and the butt is bare and has a rounded heel. Includes an iron ramrod with crudely folded back tip that Moller indicates may have been made to meet requirements for steel rods during the Revolutionary War. CONDITION: Fair with gray patina on the iron components along with moderate pitting mainly at the breech, and aged patina on the brass. The stock is poor and has multiple cracks, chips, and repairs. The trigger and sear engagement needs work, but the lock holds half and full-cock. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 2,000 - 3,500
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. I BY MOLLER
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. I BY MOLLER
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